Recipe Finder: Severn Inn Southwestern Quiche

Julie Rothman, Special to The Baltimore Sun

Jareene Barkdoll of Baltimore was hoping we would be able to find the recipe for the Southwestern-style quiche served at the Severn Inn in Annapolis. A friend treated her to Sunday brunch at the inn for her birthday, and she so enjoyed the quiche that she wanted to re-create it at home. She said it was served with an avocado salsa and topped with black beans.

Philip Sokolowski, executive chef at the Severn Inn, was kind enough to share his recipe for the quiche. What makes this quiche unusual, aside from the Southwestern seasoning, is that the typical pastry crust is replaced with tortillas. Topped with black beans and guacamole, this dish will work equally well for brunch, lunch or even dinner.

Requests

Nancy Lang Larrick from Baltimore says that she and her siblings fondly remember eating "crumb crescent" pastries that were purchased from Mikulski's Bakery in Baltimore when they were growing up. She was hoping someone else might remember these delicious pastries and be able to provide her with the recipe.

Val DeSantis from Utica, N.Y., is looking for a recipe for a Scandinavian almond cake like the one she bought at a fundraiser several years ago. The cake was almond flavored and had almond paste inside as well. The icing also was almond flavored. She said it was "an almond lover's dream cake."

If you are looking for a recipe or can answer a request, write to Julie Rothman, Recipe Finder, The Baltimore Sun, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore 21278, or email baltsunrecipefinder@gmail.com. If you send in more than one recipe, please put each on a separate piece of paper and be sure to include your name, address and daytime phone number. Important: Name and hometown must accompany recipes in order to be published. Please list the ingredients in order of use, and note the number of servings each recipe makes. Please type or print contributions. Letter and recipes may be edited for clarity.

Severn Inn Southwestern quiche

Makes: 6 to 8 servings

4 flour tortillas

3 eggs, whole

1 1/2 cup whole milk

1 1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cupred bell peppers, diced

1/2 cuptomato, diced

1/2 cupsweet onion, diced

1/2 tablespoon garlic, minced

1/2 tablespoon coriander

1/2 tablespoon cumin

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 tablespoon salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Saute peppers and onions until tender. Add tomatoes, and garlic; season with coriander, cumin, and paprika. Continue to cook on medium heat for an additional 2 minutes. Set aside and allow the vegetable mixture reach room temperature.

In a small mixing bowl, beat eggs. Mix in milk and heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper.

Grease a quiche dish and line the dish with flour tortillas. Cut to fit so there is a single even layer of tortilla lining the entire dish.

Once the vegetable mixture is cool, it may be combined with the egg mixture. Slowly ladle the mixture into the tortilla-lined quiche dish.

Bake for 30-45 minutes or until the eggs are set.

Serve warm topped with black beans and guacamole if desired.

Guacamole

1 ripe avocado

juice of 1 lime

1 spring cilantro, chopped

1 plum tomato, chopped

1/4 cup fine diced red onion

1-2 drops hot sauce

salt and black pepper to taste

Mash the avocado and mix in all the other ingredients

Black beans

1 cup dry black beans

4 cups water

1/2 cup diced sweet onion

1/2 cup diced red pepper

1 diced plum tomato

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon ground coriander

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Mix all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook until beans are soft.